The Prairie Chief, by R.M. Ballantyne

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Title: The Prairie Chief

Author: R.M. Ballantyne

Release Date: June 6, 2007 [EBook #21694]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PRAIRIE CHIEF ***

Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England

THE PRAIRIE CHIEF, BY R.M. BALLANTYNE.

CHAPTER ONE.

THE ALARM.

Whitewing was a Red Indian of the North American prairies. Though not a chief of the highest standing, he was a very great man in the estimation of his tribe, for, besides being possessed of qualities which are highly esteemed among all savages--such as courage, strength, agility, and the like--he was a deep thinker, and held speculative views in regard to the Great Manitou (God), as well as the ordinary affairs of life, which perplexed even the oldest men of his tribe, and induced the younger men to look on him as a profound mystery.

Indeed the feelings of the latter towards Whitewing amounted almost to veneration, for while, on the one hand, he was noted as one of the most fearless among the braves, and a daring assailant of that king of the northern wilderness, the grizzly bear, he was, on the other hand, modest and retiring--never boasted of his prowess, disbelieved in the pri

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